screech
verb /skriːtʃ/
/skriːtʃ/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they screech | /skriːtʃ/ /skriːtʃ/ |
| he / she / it screeches | /ˈskriːtʃɪz/ /ˈskriːtʃɪz/ |
| past simple screeched | /skriːtʃt/ /skriːtʃt/ |
| past participle screeched | /skriːtʃt/ /skriːtʃt/ |
| -ing form screeching | /ˈskriːtʃɪŋ/ /ˈskriːtʃɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to make a loud high unpleasant sound; to say something using this sound
- Monkeys were screeching in the trees.
- The wind screeched in his ears.
- screeching brakes
- He screeched with pain.
- + speech ‘No, don't!’ she screeched.
- screech (something) (at somebody) He screeched something at me.
- [intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) (of a vehicle) to make a loud high unpleasant noise as it moves
- The car screeched to a halt outside the hospital.
- A police car screeched out of a side street.
Word Originmid 16th cent.: alteration of archaic scritch, of imitative origin.